Reflector for incandescent electric lamps



Dec. 12, 1933. s. D. COHEN 1,939,383

REFLECTOR FOR INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LAMPS Filed April 1, 1935 WITNESS INI/ENTOR .oL Cof/EN A TTORNE YS Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES nErLEcToR Fon rNcANDEscEN'r ELECTRIC LAMPS Sol D. Cohen,V New York, N. Y., assignor to Paper Novelty Manufacturing Co., New York, N. Y., a 'corporation of New York Application April 1, 1933. Serial No. 663,927

7 Claims.

Myv invention relates to reflectors for incandescent electric lamps and more particularly to a reflector structure to be used in connection with the miniature incandescent lamps employed for ornamentative purposes, as in the decoration of a Christmas tree.

An object of the invention is to provide a reflector body which will prevent the diffusionI of the light from the incandescent lamp in all directions, except that from which the lamp and reflector are viewed; and more particularly to provide a sur* faceto the rear of the incandescent lamp which will prevent the light rays emanating from such lamp from becoming absorbed by aA dark background, such as the foliage of a Christmas tree.

eate sharply variousY symbols or intelligible letters or characters, preferably appropriate to the situation in which the lamps are used, and to this end the invention providesthe reflector with circumferentially disposed symbols, characters, orV

letters, preferably integralrwith the Ybody of the reflector and havingpmo're or less the same type of reflecting surface as the body ofthe reflector, so that the symbols, characters, or letters of the reflector will constitute an intelligible legend'presenting a distinct and appropriate message against va dark background, each symbol or` letter of the legend being distinctly delineated by the brilliant illumination thereof by the light rays emanating from the incandescent light bulb and reflected by the surfaces of the symbols, characters, or letters.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reflector body for use in connection with an incandescent electric lamp which eliminates the necessity of using an insulating element which has heretofore been found indispensable in connection with the use of the known metal reflectors which, being mounted directly upon the plug of the lamp, have usually been provided with an insulating disc for insulating such reflector body from the lamp plug and socket, as disclosed in the patent to Weckesser No. 1,248,222.

A particular embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which I have shown a reflector made in accordance with my invention with a particular legend formed by letters mounted on the reflector, which legend, however, is shown merely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. In such drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a reflector; Fig. 2 is a. side elevation of thereilector in the flat, unfinished form; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the reflector in the form in which it is slightly dished Vand in which condition it is intended to be used;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 Vis an end elevation of the dished reflector.

`Referring more particularly to the drawing, 6 represents the body of the reflector which is provided with circumferentially disposed tabs 7 formed integrally with the body of the reflector and upon the ends of which are positioned characters or letters 8 constituting an intelligible and appropriate legend, for instance, Merry Christmas as indicated on the drawing. The reflector, after being` die-cut in the form shown in Figs. l and 2, is dished to an extent indicated in Fig. 4 for the purpose more fully described hereinafter. The reflector is provided with a central recess or aperture 9 adapted to receive the plug member of an incandescent lamp 10, saidplug entering a socket 11, so that the reflector is positioned and clamped between such socket andlarnp.

The entire `reflector comprising the body 6, the radial .tabs 7, and the letters 8, is preferably made of paper or any similar or equivalent material of a self-insulating character. The face, of the reflector, including the body, the tabs, and the letters, is provided with a surface coating of strong light-reflecting properties, for instance, a coating of a material having a metallic lustre, such as a suitable paint or enamel, tin-foil, aluinum foil, or tinsel.

IIt will be seen that the legend formed by the letters having a reflecting surface facing the incandescent lamp will present tothe person viewing the decoration an intelligible legend or message distinctly outlined against the dark back f ground of the tree foliage orother surroundings,

the illumination of such intelligible message being greatly increased by the reflection from the individual letters of the light rays emanating from the lamp, the visibility of the symbols or letters being greatly enhanced by the sharp contrast between the illuminated surfaces and the dark lightabsorbing background. No device of the prior art possesses this character of conveying an intelligible message by means of the contour of the reflecting device. i

By means of my new and novel refector different light effects are produced upon the observer in accordancewiththe relative position of such observer with respect to the ornamentation. A change in the position of the person looking at the reflecting device, unless he withdraws entirely from a position within the ambit of illumination of the electric light bulb will not prevent such person from viewing the illuminated message against the dark background of the tree foliage with an effect tending to produce a pleasant reaction of beauty not heretofore obtained by reflectors of the usual type not carrying letters forming an intelligible message.

With my novel reflecting device, it is possible to obtain a combination of esthetic color effects as a, combination of variously colored legends may be obtained by the use of reflectors of various colors and electric light bulbs of corresponding or various colors.

While I have illustrated in the drawing a reflector in which the letters 8 extending from the' radial tabs 7 spell the legend Merry Christmas, it is obvious that groups of letters may be used to form other legends suitable for conveying holiday greetings in somewhat different wording, for instance, Christmas cheer, Yule greetings, etc. I desire therefore to have it understood that I do not intend to limit the appended claims to a reflector having the specific legend represented on the drawing but intend to include therein legends of any suitable character or connotation appropriate to the occasion for which the lamps and reflectors are to be used, while in place of letters I may use symbols, such as stars, crosses, etc., figures and other meaningful orv suggestive elements.

The coating on the reflector, especially where such coating is of an electrically conducting nature, Such as tin-foil, is applied only upon one side of the reflector, that is, the side which faces the lamp, the other side ,of the reflector being either uncoated or coated with a non-conducting material. Thus, when my improved reflector is in place between the socket and the electric lamp in the completed assembly shown in Fig. 4, no electrical contact is established between the nonilluminated side of the reflector and the socket 11, so that the danger of short-circuit is avoided. Furthermore, as the reflecting side of the reflector will generally engage only the glass bulb 'of the lamp, such reflecting surface will not be in electrical contact with the metallic stem or plug of the lamp. My improved construction thus avoids the necessity of providing special i insulating means between the reflector and the other parts of the lamp assembly. v

I claim:

1. A reflector for incandescent lamps comprising a dished body provided with circumferentially disposed tabs formed integrally with said body and letters extending from the ends of said tabs constituting an intelligible legend distinctly displayed against a dark background, said reflector body, tabs, and `letters being provided with a light-reflecting coating.

2. A reflector for incandescent lamps comprising a dished body provided with circumferentially disposed tabs formed integrally with said body and letters extending from the ends of said tabs constituting an intelligible legend distinctly displayed against a dark background, said reflector body, tabs, and letters having a highly light reflective surface facing the incandescent lamp.`

3. A reflector for incandescent lamps comprising a thin disc of insulating material centrally apertured to receive the plug of a lamp, radially disposed tabs extending from said disc in spaced relation,. symbols attached to the free ends of at least certain of said tabs in spaced relation and of such character as to convey an intelligible message or legend, said disc, tabs and symbols being provided with a strongly reflecting surface, whereby in use the said symbols are sharply outlined against a dark background.

4. A reflector as set forth in claim 3, wherein said disc is composed of insulating material.

5. A reflector as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least the non-reflecting surface of the reflector is provided with an insulating surface.

6. A lamp assembly comprising a socket member, a lamp member screwed into said socket and a reflector clamped between the lamp and socket, said reflector comprising a disc of insulating material bearing directly against the socket and lamp, said reflector including tabs extending radially from said disc and symbols attached Yto said tabs in such manner as yto provider inter- Astices between the separate symbols which when the lamp is in use, are adapted to provide a dark background against which the said symbols are outlined, said symbols provided with a highly reflecting surface,whereby the contrast between the said symbols and thev said background is heightened and the visibility and recognizability of the said symbols increased.

7. A lamp assemblyA as set forth in claim 6, wherein the whole of the illuminated side of the reflector is provided with a highly reflecting coating, whilethe reverse side thereof which is in contact with the socket is uncoated.

soL D. COHEN. 

